At the Fortress Barry was pacing in extreme frustration as Kara was still in the regeneration matrix.  He knew he had to be patient and let the procedure run its course but the waiting was driving him mad.  On the other Earth, Kal-L had only taken two hours to get back mostly to normal, so Barry told himself to calm down and take some deep breaths.  Kara had far more years of memories to recover.  So he knew the process would be long and grueling.  Finally Clark had to divert his attention from his cousin fully to Barry, not that he hadn’t been focused on both of them anyway.

“Barry, why don’t you go home?”

“What? No…I can’t.  Kara needs me.  I need to be here, Clark.  What if she comes out of this and I’m not here for her…”

“Barry, she’ll be fine.  I promise.  And I know she would understand if you were protecting Central and National.  She knows you love her, but you’re both heroes.  You have a job to do, and maybe doing it would keep you better focused.  Trust me; we’ll let you know when the procedure is done.”

“Clark…”

“Seriously Barry…go do something constructive.  Use that big brain of yours to…”

“Find the Worldkillers.  That’s what you’re going to say, right Clark?”

“Not my first thought, but we do need to know where they are.  We need to be prepared for whatever comes next.  Besides, it isn’t like they know where the Fortress is.  We’ll be safe here.”

“All right Clark…but…”

“Yes…I’ll call you as soon as Kara wakes up.  Now go.”

Barry took off, immediately running for home with Clark’s assurances that Kara would be fine and he would call as soon as any change occurred.  Neither of them could know that they were both wrong and the Worldkillers were being led to the Fortress at the very same moment.  On his way back to Central, Barry had another idea and called Cisco to meet him in National City.  While Star Labs had top of the line equipment, the D.E.O. was better suited to handle the search.  Upon his arrival, Barry saw Alex giving orders while J’onn and M’Gann were being checked over by the medical teams.

“Agent Danvers!  What’s…what did I miss?”

“Flash?  You’ve missed quite a bit around here.  How’s Supergirl?”

“She’s healing.  I’m sorry I couldn’t keep you more in the loop but…”

“Time enough for apologies later.  You were protecting her and I wouldn’t expect any less.  We’ve got bigger problems to deal with right now.”

“Bigger than the Worldkillers?  What could be worse?”

“I’ll show you, and J’onn will tell you.”

Alex led the way to where J’onn was receiving a final check-up before the Doctors turned their attention completely to M’Gann.  Barry stopped and stared in shock at the multiple injuries both Martians had received.  The young hero was disheartened by the image, knowing that if he and Kara had been there, this might not have happened.   As if reading Barry’s thoughts, J’onn spoke up to assuage his concerns.

“None of this was your fault Flash.  Had you been here, the same would have happened to you, but most likely much; much worse.”

“Did you read my mind again J’onn?”

“I didn’t need to.  The look on your face was more than enough to tell me what you’re thinking.”

“So what happened?”

“This is what happened; Flash.  This video was recorded at Cat Co. and then above the streets of National.”

Alex stopped speaking as she began playing the footage.  Barry could see Cat dropped off the balcony of Cat Co. by a figure dressed in black, he couldn’t make out the features from the distance and then saw someone who looked like Kara rescuing Cat.

“Was that M’Gann?”

“Yes.  She portrayed Kara remarkably well.  Keep watching.”

In the next moments, the black clad figure flew down from the building and rocketed M’Gann into the skies.  It was very brief look at the blonde woman, but Barry recognized her immediately.

“That…she can’t…”

Barry’s pause was enough to grant J’onn the time to speak.  While he wanted to console the younger hero, there was nothing he could say that would change the facts.

“Yes Flash, she’s a perfect duplicate of our Kara.  We don’t know where she came from, or who she even is.  But there’s no mistaking it.  She even has Kara’s memories.  And she’s out to destroy everything Supergirl stands for.”

“And if that’s the case…the real Kara is in danger, J’onn.  Where did she go?”

“We don’t know.  But we know that she’s not done.  This Ultragirl is a threat to everything.”

“Alex…are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“The black dust, Flash?  There’s no way…”

“Black Kryptonite.  You had that theory.  It was true.  When Kara was stabbed by the Worldkiller with the dagger…what if…”

“…Her blood was used to create this dark Supergirl?  Then the Fortress is in danger.  Everyone there is in danger.  Flash; you have to….”

Before Alex could finish, a breach opened and Cisco appeared in the D.E.O.  He had meant to come sooner but Harry had stopped him with images of Star’s satellite picking up a strange object flying over Nevada.

“Barry…Alex…I…”

“It can wait Cisco... What have you got?”

“A big problem.  Satellite imagery put this in the skies of Central and from its vectoring; it appears to be heading North.”

Barry, Alex and J’onn all crowded around the images to see a massive vessel that looked like a giant skull in the sky.  J’onn instantly knew who the ship belonged to and before he could say the words, Winn called out for them to come to the control room.

“Guys!  You’re not going to believe what our systems just picked up!”

The group ran towards Winn’s station where he had an image pulled up on the screen.  It was an image of the exact same ship Cisco and Harry had discovered.

“Winn, when is this footage from?”

“Right now, J’onn.  This is live.  After I pulled it up, I cross-referenced the image and found another sighting.”

Winn deftly typed at his keyboard and brought up multiple more images of the same vessel, this time surrounded by the darkness of the night sky.  Flying towards it was Ultragirl, just before she was enveloped in a bright light and then she disappeared.  Both Barry and J’onn shared an uneasy glance, but the latter put it to words.

“Ultragirl is working with Brainiac.  And undoubtedly, the Worldkillers.  Flash…”

“Which means they’re headed for the Fortress?!  Cisco…you’re going to have to get me there…”

“No problem Flash.  One breach coming up.”

“Flash…you’re going to need me and M’Gann…”

J’onn knew he was going to volunteer if Ultragirl showed up again and knowing that Brainiac and the Worldkillers were involved, he couldn’t stand by.  But upon standing he grunted in extreme pain and had to brace himself against the table.

“No J’onn, it’s too soon for you to fight them again.  And seeing you will surely set Ultragirl off. This is on me.  Maybe I can reach her.  If she’s an exact duplicate of Kara like you say…”

“She’s doesn’t have the same morals as our Kara does, Flash.  I can only surmise that the black kryptonite twisted her in some way.  If…”

“Then it will be up to you to stop them if something goes wrong.  Cisco…”

“Good luck Flash.”

Barry jumped through the breach and was instantaneously in the Arctic but a few miles from the Fortress.  He couldn’t blame Cisco for a miscalculation because he soon saw Brainiac’s vessel bearing down.  He set off as fast as he could run on the ice while pulling a glove off to reveal the key ring Clark had Kelex make for him.  A light turned on and scanned the ring, registering Barry’s D.N.A. signature.  This allowed him to phase through the Fortress walls. 

“Clark!  Clark, we’ve got a problem!”

“What is it Barry?  I thought…”

“I was at the D.E.O.  We don’t have much time.  Brainiac is…”

Before Barry could finish, an explosion rocked the ice around the Fortress.  Kelex was still monitoring Kara so another of the security droids activated the visual systems.  On the screens the assembled heroes could see Brainiac’s ship launching another volley of missiles.  The Fortress shook again just as Clark made a decisive choice. 

“Hal, Tomar, Barry, we’re not going to let Brainiac get away with this.  He can’t just attack my Fortress without provocation.  Alura, stay with Kara.”

“I wouldn’t go anywhere else, Kal-El.  You go, protect her, and what remains of our Kryptonian heritage.”

“I’ll do just that.  Kelex…activate the Argo protocols.”

In seconds, an impenetrable force-field shimmered into the air around Kelex, Alura and the regeneration matrix.  Alura immediately recognized it for what it was and smiled.  Even after all these years, Zor was still watching over his family.

“Okay, Kara is as safe as can be behind the shields.  Time we make Brainiac regret coming to our home and attacking the people we love.”

“But Clark…there’ one thing you should…”

Barry was once again interrupted as the communications arrays activated seemingly of their own accord.  Then a voice spoke over the sound of explosions, a familiar voice but with a sinister edge.

“Hello cousin.  You left me to die after the Worldkiller’s first attack.  You once told me that family never leaves each other behind.  You lied to me.  You abandoned me.  Do you have any idea how much that hurts?”

Barry, Clark, and Alura all shared a glance.  All three of them recognized the voice, and the latter two thought it was impossible.  Clark had caught her after that fight, Kara was right there with them.  She couldn’t be in the regeneration matrix and speaking to them from outside the Fortress at the same time.  Clark was about to reply when the voice continued her diatribe.

“It doesn’t matter though.  Brainiac found me, gave me a new purpose and a new family.  And I think it’s only fair that we make you hurt like you hurt me.”

The voice cut out just as the main entrance to the Fortress opened.  Standing with the sunlight behind her, a figure dressed in a uniform of midnight black stood.  She had the Dwarf star key in her hand but dropped it as she strode forward out of the light, her face draped in shadow.  Barry and Clark didn’t need to see her face as the way she walked spoke volumes in revealing her identity.  Following her shortly after were Brainiac and the Worldkillers.

When the six were inside, they all stopped to stand face to face with Barry, Clark, Hal and Tomar.  The tension was palpable as Barry and Clark stared daggers at the woman in black, not wanting to believe she was Kara.  Hal focused in on Brainiac, the stories his ring had told him about Abin Sur’s confrontations with the Coluan echoing in the back of his mind.  And Tomar, his anger evident, shifted his gaze from one Worldkiller to the next. 

“Hello Kal-El.  Do you like the new family I’ve joined to replace you, Barry and my Mother?  They understand me more than you ever could.”

“You’re not Kara.  If you were, you would know that what you’re saying isn’t true.”

“Oh but I am Kara.  I’m Kara as I should always have been.  You never knew the truth because Uncle Jor hid it from you.  My father was the older of the two, but was always overshadowed by your father.  I was sent here, not to protect you, but to kill you.  If not for my pod getting knocked off course, you would have died as a baby.”

“Don’t listen to her Kal.  Your Uncle was never the jealous type.  He adored your father.  The rift between them at what Zor was forced to do for the Military Guild broke him in a way that was never healed until you were born.”

“That’s what Father wanted you to believe, Mother.  He knew you could never truly understand, not truly being House of El blood.”

The room went silent once more, the stand-off continuing until Brainiac launched another assault from his vessel.  As the Fortress shook again, Ultragirl, Reign, Deimax, Perrilus, and Flower of Heaven separated for different parts of the structure.  Likewise, Barry followed the duplicate of Kara while Tomar chased Flower of Heaven and Reign.  Hal set off after Deimax and Perrilus.  This left Clark once again in confrontation with Brainiac. 

“I don’t know what you’ve done or how you’ve done it Brainiac.  I know in my heart that she is not Kara.”

“Still your eyes deceive you Kal-El.  I warned you in Metropolis that you had one chance to save her.  You have failed and now Kara Zor-El will bring about the true destruction of Earth.”

With that statement Brainiac calmly departed the Fortress to return to his ship.  Clark followed and began his own assault to stop the missiles being fired.  If nothing else making himself a target kept the others safe.  Or as safe as they could be in their own fights.

Barry was fast on Ultragirl’s heels but she kept pushing herself faster as she flew through the Fortress and into a circle around the statues of Jor-El and Lara before firing an intense blast of heat vision at Barry.  He remembered how she had done the same in National City and quickly dodged before speaking.

“Kara, I don’t believe what you said back there is true and deep down I know you don’t either.  If there’s any part of the Kara still inside you that I fell in love with, that I married, you’ll stop this.”

Ultragirl paused in her attack and pretended to think what Barry had said over.  She closed her eyes as a single tear slid down one cheek.  For a moment, Barry thought he had gotten through to her and slowly approached as she set foot on the ground.

“Barry…”

Barry had hope as he heard the remorse in Ultragirl’s voice.  Slowly, he reached out a hand which she took, gently, just before squeezing hard enough to break the bones while erupting in maniacal laughter that drowned out Barry’s scream.

“Oh Barry…I told you, seeing the best in everyone is pathetic.  And here’s another truth for you.  I never loved you.”

Upon releasing her grip, Ultragirl flew back to the main chamber as Barry fell to his knees while his healing kicked in.  In another part of the Fortress Reign and Flower of Heaven separated leaving Tomar with a choice.  Both were threats but after studying Flower of Heaven’s abilities; Tomar followed her. 

Reign was destroying everything in her path until she came to a nondescript chamber that appeared to be a confinement area.  Upon closer inspection, she came to a room recessed in the back of the chamber with an eerie red light glowing.  Thinking this may be a trap she slowly approached.  A voice spoke from the room, one she was familiar with.

“I told you before Kal-El, leave me be.  I answered your questions about the Worldkillers.  I have nothing further to tell you.”

“And what exactly did you tell him Zod?”

Zod looked up, he knew that voice.  He had expected Kal-El, but the woman in front of his cell, he had never expected to see again.  For a moment, he just had to stare.

“It has been a long time, my friend.  The last time I saw you, you were leading us into battle against Brainiac.”

“I was never your friend; Reign.  You and your sisters were a means to end to protect Krypton.  Then when Jor-El warned of the planet’s destruction and I was ordered to arrest him, I refused.  Only to be banished to the Phantom Zone.”

“This left us free to turn on your people.  Then allying with Brainiac and bringing the destruction of your home sooner than it was supposed to happen.”

“I told the Council that would happen.  You would turn on us.  Yet another cause of my banishment.”

“And don’t you want revenge?  Brainiac is here, he did kill your wife.  You could join us.  I can set you free.  Kal-El has kept you prisoner, join us Zod.  Help us destroy this planet.”

“As you did Krypton?  No.  Not using my army to destroy you and your sisters is my single greatest regret.”

“A pity that we cannot fight side by side once more.  I assure you, your death will be far from painless.”

Reign shattered the paneling that kept Zod locked away and strode into the cell.  With him under the light of a red sun, he was powerless to stop her from dragging him out.  He could have used his combat training to fight, but he just needed to be away from the red light.  Planning to kill him outside the Fortress was foremost on Reign’s mind as she dragged him towards the entrance.  But she was so obsessed with revenge that she made a mistake. Once she threw Zod into the open, the sun beating down had an immediate effect.

Clark had always hoped Zod would one day regret his actions and redeem himself.  This is why the red solar light in the cell only suppressed his powers instead of taking them away completely.  Once Reign was standing face to face with Zod, she realized her error. 

“You should have left me in that cell, Reign.  Because you were correct.  I do want revenge.  For Krypton.”

Zod leapt into the air, his powers returning quickly.  Reign followed only to be struck with a violent punch that knocked her back down to the ground.  Enraged, she tried again, only for a volley of heat vision to rain down on her, forcing her to dodge and weave from Zod’s relentless assault.  But she was not without a plan.  She kept leaping into the air to distract Zod, which ultimately forced him back to back with Superman.  Clark had no time to question this as he was still in battle with Brainiac.  Seeing an opening, Zod flew down at his fastest and wrapped Reign up in his grip and rocketed back into the sky, on a heading directly for Clark and Brainiac’s ship. 

Clark could hear the wind whistling with the approach and fists impacting on whomever was coming his way.  Quickly turning, he caught sight of Zod fighting Reign.  Not sure what was going to happen next or if he’d have to fight both of them, Zod’s voice gave him the answer he needed.

“Kal-El!  Move!”

Clark flew up out of the way as Zod punched his way through Brainiac’s vessel while Reign was still punching him.  If she had an edge it was long gone as the years of captivity and lack of powers only increased his desire for vengeance.  Once inside the vessel, he threw Reign with just a fraction of his might into the bulkhead, knocking her unconscious.  As he stood up, he was face to face with Brainiac.

“Vril Dox.  You killed my wife.  Long have I waited for revenge against you.”

“Zod, your wife’s death was regrettable, but remember I was not the one who kept you prisoner all these years.  You shouldn’t be fighting me, you should help me destroy Kal-El.”

“Regrettable?  You snapped Faora’s neck.  Shattered her spine.  We were at war, but the way you killed her was without honor.  My problems with Kal-El pale in comparison to my raw seething hatred of you!”

Zod powered up his heat vision to attack Brainiac but he was not in his environment.  Brainiac activated his shields and used the metal of the bulkhead to form a giant hand that struck Zod full force.  Distracted as he was, Zod was thrown out of the vessel to land on the icy terrain below. 

Back inside the Fortress, the other Worldkillers were losing their own battles with the heroes.  Tomar was blocking every blast Flower of Heaven was throwing at him while Hal had used a giant green fist to knock out Deimax.  With his attention on Perrilus, he encased her in a bubble of green energy which kept her from using any of her abilities.  Now defeated, the three teleported back to Brainiac’s ship and bid a hasty retreat.  Only Ultragirl was left, and her attention was locked in on her Mother.

“Come out of there; Mother!  Twenty-four years you left me stranded in the Phantom Zone!  Years of pain and torment!  Let me show you how that felt!”

Behind Ultragirl, Clark, Barry, Hal and Tomar reentered the chamber.  Zod was slung over Clark’s shoulder, still unconscious.  They watched as Ultragirl pounded on the shield to no avail.  Finally Clark spoke.

“This is over; Kara.  Brainiac left you.  Stop fighting".

“Not until my Mother pays for abandoning me!”